Scrappy solo-consultant snatches the ball from Big Consulting Firm – and scores!
A grab-bag of good ideas will never be as valuable to you as a simple process.
Not 1 in 100 understand what I just said. So pay close attention to this story:
A $20,000,000 manufacturing company needed a new strategy. They coughed up many tens of thousands of dollars to an international consulting firm and waited.
The Consultants rolled up their sleeves and got to work. They interviewed suppliers, employees and customers. They watched. Asked questions. And scribbled notes.
After three months, the big day had arrived. Time to deliver their “strategy.” And this they did, in the form of a 52 page book.
The CEO looked at it and shook his head. “We can’t use this,” he concluded. “All they did was take all the ideas we already had and put them in a book!”
(It’s almost certainly the corporate consultants – not the street-smart solo guys – who are responsible for that famous joke about a consultant taking your watch to tell you the time.)
The “strategy” was a collection of good ideas. Things they could do. But listen carefully. The company didn’t need any more good ideas. They needed help choosing a very few of good ideas to implement!
It worked out OK in the end. The CEO found me and for tens of thousands more, I walked them through a process that actually helped them make a decision.
Notice the difference: I walked them through a PROCESS that helped them make a few important DECISIONS. They then knew exactly what to DO without being distracted by second guessing and shiny objects.
And all this was etched out in just seven pages.
Yes, a simple seven page process was far more valuable than 52 pages of good ideas.
If you’re good at what you do, but struggle to create a consistent flow of clients, then I bet your problem is the same.
Too many good ideas, no simple process.
It’s all them marketing plumbers out there waving their favorite shiny object at you. Each uses up more of your time and takes you in another direction. And many are actually good ideas.
BUT too many good ideas keep you going in circles. You don’t need more good ideas. You need a process. A process that helps you decide what few things you really should be doing. So you can get to work and do them well.
Now, if you really ‘get’ what I’m saying here, that’s excellent.
But if you’re even a little unclear, go listen (or relisten) to my most popular free teleseminar: “The 5 Steps to A Consistent Flow of Clients.”
After you’ve listened you’ll understand what a marketing process really is. And how to start building yours.
After you’ve listened, post a comment below and tell me what you think.
Dov Gordon
Great discussion on 5 Steps to a consistent flow of clients. Everyone needs to listen to this.
Thanks, Ron.
Dov
I love stories like this one Dov.
You kind of feel bad for them having spent the big bucks on a suit to come and tell’em what the already knew…
The business world definitely needs more processes that put ideas in play!
Thanks for sharing bud
Welcome Claudio.
I don’t feel bad for them because the reality is that we all need to learn by trying one thing or another, seeing what works, what doesn’t and adjusting. It costs us all in terms of money, time and bruises to our egos.
I admire this company for being in the arena.
The people I feel bad for are those too scared to put up some money, time and ego out of fear that they’ll lose it. Those are the people who never quite get anywhere. Their talent is stifled. Their families suffer. And they trap themselves in a downward spiral where fear to act and invest leads them to stay out of the game. Which wears down their self confidence. Which makes them even more fearful.
Those are the people I feel bad for. Only a few very determined special folks ever climb out of this pit. The rest are there for life. And all the while they’re holding the keys. They just don’t see it. They’re convinced that they need to be rescued.
Thanks for your comment. Bet you never expected to get this in response.
Dov
Nahhh… I luv a good rant as much as anyone, and you are right, they are making a run at it. Good for them!
claudio